The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) High Desert District (HDD) anticipates optimal burn conditions and will initiate a 350 acre prescribed fire along the Seminoe-Alcova backcountry byway south of Miracle Mile approximately 30 miles northeast of Rawlins, Wyo., this Thursday with the possibility of extending through the weekend.This area of the Seminoe Mountains was impacted by the 2012 Seminoe wildfire which exhibited extreme fire behavior in ponderosa pine and mountain shrubs. The prescribed fire will burn mixed mountain shrubs, conifers and understory vegetation beneath ponderosa pine as part of an overall strategy to improve wildlife habitat and treat hazardous fuels which could threaten nearby structures in the mountain range.Outdoor enthusiasts are advised to avoid this area during prescribed fire operations.For more information or to check burn status, contact HDD Fuels Specialist Chris Otto at 307-328-4250 or the Rawlins Field Office at 307-328-4200.

The Bureau of Land Management’s Rawlins Field Office (RFO) is urging hunters with tags in northern Carbon County, Wyo., to adjust their hunting plans. Approximately 12,479 acres were burned 30 miles northeast of Rawlins, Wyo., in this summer’s Ferris and Seminoe wildfires. The Ferris and Seminoe mountains serve as important elk, mule deer and pronghorn range and popular hunting areas on the east end of Ferris Mountain and north and west of Seminoe Dam in the Seminoe Mountains were affected. As the archery season gets underway and the rifle season approaches, big game hunters are being informed of the burned areas. “We want hunters to know ahead of time the areas that burned so they can move their hunting trip to a different part of the mountain,” explains Andy Warren, RFO Supervisory Rangeland Management Specialist. He adds, “The habitat needs time to recover so that wildlife will have a long-term benefit from these fires.” While the Ferris and Seminoe wildfire areas are not off limits to recreation, including hunting, hunters should recognize that wildlife may not be as prevalent in burned areas. The increased amount of human presence and air traffic while fighting the fires, coupled with the loss of available forage and cover, may have caused many wildlife species to relocate into adjacent unburned areas. If any member of the public chooses to recreate in these areas, Warren stresses, “Please stay on roads and off burned habitat and where fire engines drove to minimize further damage and erosion.” The public is also cautioned to be aware of falling snags from burned trees and rolling debris when recreating in these areas. For more information, please contact Warren at 307-328-4271 or Mike Murry at 307-328-4253.

About the Salmon River Mountain Press

The Salmon River Mountain Press shares news from federal and state natural resource agencies, environmental, conservation and recreation groups in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. The blog delivers the content one news story at a time.